A Merry Rotherham News Christmas

War Hero

Oh yes!!! Read by untold tens of people across the globe, it's possibly the last ever Rotherham news update!

Love, Rotherham Style.
A WOMAN has been acquitted of murdering her violent lover by strangling him to death so hard that bones broke in his neck.

Sarah Fletcher, aged 32, cracked after years of drunken abuse and throttled her 51-year-old boyfriend with just one hand at their Rotherham home.
During one of their many alcohol-fuelled fights she grabbed Ron Clouting so hard that his voicebox broke and small bones fractured in his neck.
She was charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Sheffield Crown Court.
Yesterday she was found not guilty after the jury deliberated for just under 50 minutes.
Fletcher, of Roughwood Road, Kimberworth Park, breathed a sigh of relief at the outcome but did not break down.
However, when she gave evidence proceedings had to be halted for a few minutes as she looked up at the public gallery from the dock and begged her lover's family for forgiveness.
She repeatedly shouted out through uncontrollable sobs: "I am sorry, I am so sorry. I loved him."
Yesterday Fletcher refused to comment after walking free from court until the New Year when she will be sentenced by Judge, Alan Goldsack QC.
The court heard the attack followed years of violence since their on-off relationship first took hold when Fletcher was just 15. Over the years both parties had suffered cuts, bruises and black eyes as their arguments descended into violence and verbal abuse.

Church Attendance Up In Rotherham
A ROTHERHAM vicar whose church has been targeted by burglars four times is now offering a reward to try to catch the raiders.
The Rev Hedley Richardson, vicar of Clifton, says his church is just one of a number which have been broken into or vandalised.
He is now offering a Â£500 reward for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
Rev Richardson said: "We are pretty peeved to be honest. The damage is horrendous and is costing us thousands of pounds - each broken fire door can cost Â£500 to replace. I am so angry I think it is time we did something."
Over the past few weeks burglars have broken into St James Church and ransacked cupboards and storerooms, escaping with small amounts of cash.
Earlier this year thieves broke into another church at Eastwood View and stole a safe containing parish registers, a valuable chalice and computer equipment.

Football - The Beautiful Game, Yorkshire Style
TWO REFEREES were allegedly assaulted while a third was reportedly threatened during games involving Mexborough Sunday League sides on Sunday.
Police are investigating an allegation of assault on a referee who was reportedly headbutted, 15 minutes into a Division Three game at Old Road, Conisbrough, between Denaby Rovers and The Castle. The game was abandoned.
In a second game, a player allegedly swung a punch at the match referee, who was left shaken by the incident, as the teams left the pitch at full-time.
Both players, who are not being named by the Times for legal reasons, have already been de-registered from the league.
Secretary of the Sunday League and fellow referee, Steve Venables, said: "The cases will be decided by the County FA but this is something we are looking at very seriously."
"There was a player in the Sunday League who had his jaw broken in two places last week - what can you do?